Tigers Cross Country

KLEINSASSER NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT

LOS ANGELES — Eric Kleinsasser (Glendale) added another honor to his very decorated four-year career as an Occidental College student-athlete.

The cross country star was named to the to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 2011 Men's Track and Field/Cross Country team last week for excelling in the classroom and on the course.

It's a top academic honor that only three other SCIAC male track and field or cross country athletes received in 2011-12, but for Kleinsasser, it isn't even close to the top of his resume.

Kleinsasser became the first male athlete in the history of the SCIAC to be named the athlete of the year in his sport when he won the award for the fourth consecutive time in 2011. During his Oxy career, he was named All-SCIAC, All-West Region and a USTFCCCA Academic All-American in every season.

In 2011, he helped lead the Tigers men's cross country team to a SCIAC championship and its first regional championship since 1991.

His post-graduation interests are as ambitious as his athletic accomplishments are remarkable. Kleinsasser is interested in studying geochemistry and will start a five-year PhD program at USC this fall.

College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District honorees are nominated and selected by CoSIDA members. To be eligible, student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.3 cumulative grade point average.